Monday, December 5, 2011

Time Talk

These past two weeks I have been reading Lysa Terkeurst's book "What Happens When Women Say 'Yes' to God". One day God told me to "stay off the computer all day. Read the Word first and I will give you the time to do things I value and you value."

I have been trying to spend the first time of my day (well, early time, at least) reading the Bible.

Amidst all of this, I also felt like He was telling me to blog and paint more. I know that sounds self-serving, but I think He was telling me that my time could be better spent. Painting could potentially add to our family income. Blogging could also be of financial benefit, although I see that as a far off benefit. In the meantime, I would hope that it would be a blessing to people; that they might gain from the insights, experience, and.....mistakes of an average stay-at-home mother.

After the "time talk", I read the next chapter of Lisa's book, which was about "I can't". She shares a woman's struggle with confidence to be a speaker and she recognized her own "I can'ts", one being running. God told her to run. It made me think of the things that I really, really want to do - paint and blog, that I have been saying "I can't" to. Why can't I? I am not prioritizing my time. I am wasting my time.

This morning I read Psalm 90 - the first verses are all about the people being consumed by God's anger, their lowly estate, and the brevity of life. How depressing. Then these encouraging words:

Psalm 90 (NKJV)12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants.14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil.16 Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children.17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

vs. 12 - Prioritize your time, AMY!

vs. 14 Be merciful now...that we might rejoice ALL of our days.

vs. 15 or that we would be glad, at least the same number of days that we have been afflicted or seen evil.

vs. 16 That we would see His work and our children would see His Glory.